ch.nativetongue-第34章

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two　to　Nina　and　Joe　Winder。
　Before　taking　a　drink；　Nina　wiped　the　top　of　the　can　on　the　sleeve　of　Winder's　shirt。　She　touched　a　hand　to　her　neck　and　said；　〃So　what's　with　the　collar？〃
　〃Telemetry。〃　Skink　pointed　a　finger　at　the　sky。　〃Every　week　or　so；　a　plane　es　around。〃
　〃They　think　he's　a　panther；〃　Joe　Winder　explained。　〃See；　it's　a　radio　collar。　He　took　it　off　a　dead　panther。〃
　Skink　quickly　added：　〃But　I'm　not　the　one　who　killed　it。　It　was　a　liquor　truck　out　of　Marathon。　Didn't　even　stop。〃
　Nina　wasn't　plugging　in。　After　a　pause　she　said；　〃Joe；　don't　forget　about　our　movie。〃
　Winder　nodded。　Sometimes　he　felt　they　were　oceans　apart。　〃The　panther's　all　but　extinct；〃　he　said。　〃Maybe　two　dozen　left　alive。　The　Game　and　Fish　Department　uses　radio　collars　to　keep　track　of　where　they　are。〃
　Skink　drained　his　beer。　〃Two　nights　later；　here　es　the　liquor　truck　again。　Only　this　time　he　blows　a　tire　on　some　barbed　wire。〃
　〃In　the　middle　of　the　road？〃　Nina　said。
　〃Don't　ask　me　how　it　got　there。　Anyway；　I　had　a　good　long　talk　with　the　boy。〃
　Winder　said；　〃Jesus；　don't　tell　me。〃
　〃Cat's　blood　was　still　on　the　headlights。　Fur；　too。〃　Skink　spat　into　the　fire。　〃Cracker　bastard　didn't　seem　to　care。〃
　〃You　didn't。。。〃
　〃No；　nothing　permanent。　Nothing　his　insurance　wouldn't　cover。〃
　In　her　smoothest　voice　Nina　asked；　〃Did　you　eat　the　panther；　too？〃
　〃No；　ma'am；〃　said　Skink。　〃I　did　not。〃
　The　big　cat　was　buried　a　half…mile　up　the　trail；　under　brilliant　bougainvilleas　that　Skink　himself　had　planted。　Joe　Winder　thought　about　showing　Nina　the　place；　but　she　didn't　act　interested。　Darkness　was　settling　in；　and　the　mosquitoes　had　arrived　by　the　billions。　Nina　slapped　furiously　at　her　bare　arms　and　legs；　while　Joe　Winder　shook　his　head　to　keep　the　little　bloodsuckers　out　of　his　ears。
　Skink　said；　〃I　got　some　goop　if　you　want　it。　Great　stuff。〃　He　held　his　arms　out　in　the　firelight。　The　left　one　was　engulfed　by　black　mosquitoes；　the　right　one　was　untouched。
　〃It's　called　EDTIAR；〃　Skink　said。　〃Extended　Duration　Topical　Insect/Arthropod　Repellent。　I'm　a　field　tester　for　the　U。S。　Marines；　they　pay　me　and　everything。〃　Studiously　he　began　counting　the　bites　on　his　left　arm。
　Nina；　on　the　shrill　edge　of　misery；　whacked　a　big　fat　arthropod　on　Joe　Winder's　cheek。　〃We've　got　to　get　going；〃　she　said。
　〃They're　nasty　tonight；〃　Skink　said　sympathetically。　〃I　just　took　seventeen　hits　in　thirty　seconds。〃
　Winder　himself　was　getting　devoured。　He　stood　up；　flailing　his　own　torso。　The　bugs　were　humming　in　his　eyes；　his　mouth；　his　nostrils。
　〃Joe；　what's　the　point　of　all　this？〃　Nina　asked。
　〃I'm　waiting　for　him　to　tell　me　who　killed　Will　Koocher。〃
　〃Oh；　for　God's　sake。〃
　Skink　said；　〃We're　in　dangerous　territory　now。〃
　〃I　don't　care；〃　Winder　said。　〃Tell　me　what　happened。　It　had　something　to　do　with　the　mango　voles；　I'm　sure。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Skink。
　Nina　announced　that　she　was　leaving。　〃I'm　getting　eaten　alive；　and　we're　going　to　miss　the　movie。〃
　〃Screw　the　movie；〃　said　Joe　Winder；　perhaps　too　curtly。
　For　Nina　was　suddenly　gone…down　the　trail；　through　the　woods。　Snapping　twigs　and　muffled　imprecations　divulged　her　path。
　〃Call　me　Mr。　Charm；〃　Winder　said。
　Skink　chuckled。　〃You'd　better　go。　This　can　wait。〃
　〃I　want　to　know　more。〃
　〃It's　the　voles；　like　you　said。〃　He　reached　into　his　secondhand　trousers　and　took　out　a　bottle　so　small　it　couldn't　have　held　more　than　four　ounces。　He　pressed　it　into　the　palm　of　Joe　Winder's　right　hand。
　〃Ah；　the　magic　bug　goop！〃
　〃No；〃　Skink　said。　〃Now　take　off；　before　Snow　White　gets　lost　in　the　big　bad　forest。〃
　Blindly　Winder　jogged　down　the　trail　after　his　girlfriend。　He　held　one　arm　across　his　face　to　block　the　branches　from　slashing　him；　and　weaved　through　the　low　viny　trees　like　a　halfback　slipping　tacklers。
　Nina　had　given　up　her　solo　expedition　forty　yards　from　Skink's　campsite；　and　that's　where　Winder　found　her；　leaning　against　the　slick　red　trunk　of　a　gumbo…limbo。
　〃Get　us　out　of　here；〃　she　said；　brushing　a　squadron　of　plump　mosquitoes　from　her　forehead。
　Out　of　breath；　Winder　gave　her　a　hug。　She　didn't　exactly　melt　in　his　arms。　〃You　were　doing　fine；〃　he　said。　〃You　stayed　right　on　the　trail。〃
　They　were　in　the　car；　halfway　to　Homestead；　when　she　spoke　again：　〃Why　can't　you　leave　it　alone？　The　guy's　nothing　but　trouble。〃
　〃He's　not　crazy；　Nina。〃
　〃Oh　right。〃
　〃A　man　was　murdered。　I　can't　let　it　slide。〃
　She　picked　a　buttonwood　leaf　from　her　sleeve；　rolled　down　the　window　and　flicked　the　leaf　away。　She　said；　〃If　he's　not　crazy；　then　how　e　he　lives　the　way　he　does？　How　e　he　wears　that　electric　collar？〃
　〃He　says　it　keeps　him　on　his　toes。〃　Joe　Winder　plugged　a　Zevon　tape　in　the　stereo。　〃Look；　I'm　not　saying　he's　normal。　I'm　just　saying　he's　not　crazy。〃
　〃Like　you　would　know；〃　Nina　said。
　
　FIFTEEN
　On　Sunday；　July　22；　Charles　Chelsea　got　up　at　eight…thirty；　showered；　shaved；　dressed　（navy　slacks；　Cordovan　loafers；　blue　oxford　shirt；　burgundy　necktie）；　trimmed　his　nose　hairs；　splashed　on　about　three　gallons　of　Aramis　and　drove　off　to　work　in　his　red　Mazda　Miata；　for　which　he　had　paid　thirty…five　hundred　dollars　over　dealer　invoice。
　Chelsea　had　two　important　appointments　at　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills。　One　of　them　would　be　routine；　and　one　promised　to　be　unpleasant。　He　had　not　slept　well；　but　he　didn't　feel　exceptionally　tired。　In　fact；　he　felt　surprisingly　confident；　posed；　tough；　if　only　he　could　remain　that　way　until　his　meeting　with　Joe　Winder。
　A　crew　from　Channel　7　was　waiting　outside　the　main　gate。　The　reporter　was　an　attractive　young　Latin　woman　wearing　oversized　sunglasses。　Chelsea　greeted　her　warmly　and　told　her　she　was　right　on　time。　They　all　got　in　a　van；　which　was　driven　by　a　man　wearing　a　costume　of　bright　neoprene　plumes。　The　man　introduced　himself　as　Baldy　the　Eagle；　and　said　he　was　happy　to　be　their　host。　He　began　a　long　spiel　about　the　Amazing　Kingdom　of　Thrills　until　Charles　Chelsea　flashed　his　ID　badge；　at　which　point　the　bird　man　shrugged　and　shut　up。　Chelsea　slapped　his　arm　when　he　tried　to　bum　a　Marlboro　off　the　Channel　7　cameraman。
　When　they　arrived　at　the　killer…whale　tank；　Chelsea　stepped　from　the　van　and　held　the　door　for　the　reporter；　whose　first　name　was　Maria。　Chelsea　led　the　way　inside　the　marine　stadium；　where　the　TV　crew　unpacked　and　began　to　set　up　the　equipment。　Chelsea　sat　next　to　Maria　in　the　front　row；　facing　the　empty　blue　pool。　Above　them；　men　on　scaffolds　were　sandblasting　the　word　〃Orky〃　from　the　coral…colored　wall。
　Chelsea　said；　〃I　guess　the　others　will　be　along　soon。〃
　Maria　removed　her　sunglasses　and　brushed　her　hair。　She　took　out　a　spiral　notebook　and　flipped　to　a　blank　page。
　〃The　other　stations；〃　Chelsea　said；　〃they　must　be　running　a　little　late。〃
　Five　others　had　received　the　same　fax　as　Channel　7　had。　Surely　more　crews　would　show　up…it　was　Sunday；　after　all；　the　slowest　news　day　of　the　week。
　Maria　said；　〃Before　we　go　on　the　air…〃
　〃You　want　some　background；〃　Chelsea　said　helpfully。　〃Well；　to　be　perfectly　frank；　Orky's　death　left　us　with　a　rather　large　vacancy。　Here　we　have　this　beautiful　saltwater　tank；　as　you　see；　and　a　scenic　outdoor　stadium。　A　facility　like　this　is　too　special　to　waste。　We　thought　about　getting　another　whale；　but　Mr。　Kingsbury　felt　it　would　be　inappropriate。　He　felt　Orky　was　irreplaceable。〃
　Charles　Chelsea　glanced　over　Maria's　shoulder　to　see　the　Minicam　pointed　at　him。　Its　red　light　winked　innocuously　as　the　tape　rolled。　The　cameraman　was　on　his　knees。　Squinting　through　the　viewfinder；　he　signaled　for　Chelsea　to　keep　talking。
　〃Are　we　on？〃　the　PR　man　said。　〃What　about　the　mike？　I　don't　have　a　mike。〃
　The　cameraman　pointed　straight　up。　Chelsea　raised　his　eyes。　A　gray　boom　microphone；　the　size　of　a　fungo　bat；　hung　over　his　head。　The　boom　was　controlled　by　a　sound　man　standing　to　Chelsea's　right。　The　man　wore　earphones　and　a　Miami　Dolphins　warm…up　jacket。
　Maria　said；　〃You　mentioned　Orky。　Could　you　tell　us　what　your　staff　has　learned　about　the　whale's　death？　What　exactly　killed　it？〃
　Chelsea　fought　to　keep　his　Adam's　apple　from　bobbing　spasmodically；　as　it　often　did　when　he　lied。　〃The　tests；〃　he　said；　〃are　still　inplete。〃
　Maria's　warm　brown　eye